Princess Artiste graduated from high school in June, and after being pursued because of her grades and athletic records, she is our first to leapfrog over community college and right into a 4-year school. With her part-time public school, part-time homeschool education, we had to jump through a couple of extra hoops, but they weren't too bad.
She was actually accepted into 2 private, Christian colleges, but only one of them had the draw of participating in collegiate sports. As a runner and swimmer, the school athletic director was having a hard time deciding in which sports to use her. Her available options were cross country, indoor track, outdoor track and field, swimming, and the new team he wants to start for triathlon. It's long been her dream to try a triathlon, but that team hasn't been started yet, so at least it was off the list for this year.
She teaches swimming and does lifeguarding for the YMCA, but doesn't feel in any shape to compete in swimming, so chose cross-country for fall, and in the spring, hopes to run the 400 meter dash and throw javelin in outdoor track. She may try indoor track, too, since her cross country season was cut a little short by illness at one end and a stress fracture at the other!
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| First things first... Ginormous poster goes on the wall! |
Yes, her departure was a bit delayed. She was supposed to move to school 2 weeks before classes started, in order to train with the cross country team. But 2 days before the move, she was feeling just awful...The 'cold' she'd had was worsening, her throat was killing her, and when she tried to run, her legs felt like lead. Diagnosis: Mono. Prince Go-for-It had had it in May, so evidently the germs were around the house, and he shared. It can take 2 months to incubate after exposure!
She went up to school, then, on the regular appointed day. It was sad she'd missed the training and bonding time with her team, but that meant we got her at home for a bit of additional time. Moving day was sunny and bright, and a great day to start her new adventure... and she was bonding with teammates, already, when we left. The next day she attended a church she's loved ever since.
She is growing and learning. She competed in a few meets, but missed going to the national meet, because of her broken foot. She'll get the 'boot' off of that in a week, and will jump into preseason practice for track, and hope that season goes much better! She also has 2 jobs... swim instructor/lifeguard at the YMCA, as mentioned, and, added just this week, an afternoon job in the school library.She still wonders if she's chosen the right school. This one is small...Only 250 students, which is about 1/10 the size of her high school. She enjoys the small classes, and the interest and passion passed on by her professors. But she had to choose a different major than she'd intended, because this school only offers 15 degree programs. She may transfer to the Big City next year or the year after, and join her brother, Inventive, but not in the same classes. She still is deciding between a career in nutrition or a career in interior design.
The princess has accomplished another big thing, unintentionally and indirectly. The path to college by attending community college first, because of the lack of a public school diploma, was an easy and successful route for her older siblings. In jumping to a 4-year school, and participating in sports as well, she has broadened the horizons for her younger siblings. Already, Prince Go-for-It is planning to run cross country, starting at a 4-year school, and he has 2 with which he plans to open a dialogue. He, a natural born salesman, also plans to major in Business to study marketing, but with different career goals in mind than his brother.
We now have a household of 5...plus the 3 over the garage. It's odd to have so few! Because the younger kids seemed to draw around the older kids, they are now somewhat at loose ends, and still missing their buddies. Thank goodness for texting and cell phones. How much they rely on each other, even when not in the same house, is more evident (and heartwarming) than ever. We have new dynamics to grow accustomed to, and new bonds to build within the house. A whole new adventure for everyone.
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